Many Family Guy fans are aware of how the long-running adult sitcom animated series was canceled at one point in the past after Season 3 before it was ultimately renewed for Season 4. However, many fans are still unaware as to why the cancelation happened in the first place.
Wondering why Family Guy got canceled in the past after Season 3? Curious about Season 24’s renewal? Here is everything fans need to know.
Here’s why Family Guy got canceled in the past after Season 3
Family Guy was canceled twice in the past, once after Season 2 and the second time after Season 3. Both of these were due to declining ratings.
The series faced a string of bad luck during both Season 2 and 3. Beginning with Season 2, Family Guy’s time slot moved to Thursdays at 9 pm, pitting it against Frasier and starting its ratings decline, due to Frasier’s long-running popularity at that time. Later, Family Guy’s time slot was shifted to 8:30 pm on Tuesdays. This only worsened the situation as the show ended up competing against the also very popular Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
Family Guy was then canceled after Season 2, but two months later, Fox reversed the decision and renewed it for Season 3. Unfortunately, Season 3’s time slot at 8 pm on Thursdays put it at risk of being canceled again as it only continued to suffer rating drops. This is because the series was in direct competition with the hugely popular shows Friends and Survivor.
The series was canceled again and Season 3’s last episode did not air for a year. However, a glimmer of hope came in the form of Cartoon Network, which bought the syndication rights and aired reruns of Family Guy. Moreover, the show also saw successful DVD sales for its first two seasons, reaching 2.2. million. Furthermore, it also became a cult favorite on Adult Swim. All of these convinced Fox to renew the series for Season 4 and the show has continued strong ever since.
Is Family Guy renewed for Season 24?
Family Guy Season 24’s renewal has not been officially confirmed.
However, a Season 24 could still happen. This is because Seth MacFarlane admitted not seeing “a good reason to stop” the series in a recent The Hollywood Reporter interview. However, he admitted that he once thought of concluding the series.
